Christopher Hughes, Ph.D.

Christopher Hughes, Ph.D., joined NCMRR as a scientific program analyst in 2024. His research focus includes translational technologies and methodologies to improve approaches and infrastructure for rehabilitation, particularly in the application of neurotechnologies. He also brings expertise in conducting research in neuroscience and engineering, developing complex analyses, and reviewing scientific projects for impact, rigor, and reproducibility. 

Prior to joining NCMRR, Dr. Hughes was an NIH Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies^® (BRAIN) Initiative F32 postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pittsburgh. He conducted research on mechanisms of brain stimulation for sensory restoration, which involved planning and executing neurophysiology experiments, developing and implementing pipelines for analysis and statistics, and writing scientific manuscripts and project proposals. He collaborated across multidisciplinary teams to conduct and publish impactful work in rehabilitation and neural engineering across both human and animal models. He was also heavily involved in peer review of scientific works. 

Dr. Hughes holds a B.S., summa cum laude, in neuroscience from the University of California, Riverside and a Ph.D. in bioengineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

Selected Publications

Flesher SN, Downey JE, Weiss JM, Hughes CL, Herrera AJ, Tyler-Kabara EC, Boninger ML, Collinger JL, Gaunt RA. A brain-computer interface that evokes tactile sensations improves robotic arm control. Science. 2021 May 21;372(6544):831-836. doi: 10.1126/science.abd0380. PMID: 34016775

Hughes CL, Flesher SN, Weiss JM, Downey JE, Boninger M, Collinger JL, Gaunt RA. Neural stimulation and recording performance in human sensorimotor cortex over 1500 days. J Neural Eng. 2021 Aug 13;18(4):10.1088/1741-2552/ac18ad. doi: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac18ad. PMID: 34320481

Hughes CL, Flesher SN, Weiss JM, Boninger M, Collinger JL, Gaunt RA. Perception of microstimulation frequency in human somatosensory cortex. Elife. 2021 Jul 27;10:e65128. doi: 10.7554/eLife.65128. PMID: 34313221

Hughes C, Kozai T. Dynamic amplitude modulation of microstimulation evokes biomimetic onset and offset transients and reduces depression of evoked calcium responses in sensory cortices. Brain Stimul. 2023 May-Jun;16(3):939-965. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2023.05.013. Epub 2023 May 25. PMID: 37244370

Hughes C, Herrera A, Gaunt R, Collinger J. Bidirectional brain-computer interfaces. Handb Clin Neurol. 2020;168:163-181. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-63934-9.00013-5. PMID: 32164851